- KFS says that loggers are desperate and might start stealing trees despite all strategies to curb the vice.
- The agency has deployed a fleet of vehicles donated by stakeholders to ease movement of their rangers on patrol.
Kenya Forest Service has intensified patrols to protect forests three years into the logging moratorium imposed by Environment CS Keriako Tobiko.
The KFS says that loggers are desperate and might start stealing trees despite all strategies to curb the vice.
The agency has deployed a fleet of vehicles donated by stakeholders to ease the movement of their rangers on patrol.
KFS chief conservator Julius Kamau said loggers have severally tried to enter forests but failed.
He warned that they have laid several strategies to assist their rangers as well as Community Forest Associations to conserve and protect forests.
"No matter how hungry the loggers are, they cannot be allowed to enter our forests. No one goes there without our consent. We are alert every minute," he said.
Kamau spoke at KFS headquarters in Karura along Kiambu Road on Monday.
He was accompanied by KFS board chairman Peter Kinyua when he flagged off a tractor, four lorries, two minibuses and four troop carriers.
They were donated by Food and Agriculture Organisation, Africa Development Bank Group and the government.
He said the lorries will assist them to transport seedlings and people to plant them so as to achieve 10 per cent forest cover.
"The four trucks which are seven tonnes each will assist us facilitate the government agenda of achieving 10 per cent forest cover through enhanced seedlings production and distribution," Kamau said.
He added that the four troop carriers will be deployed to Samburu county in Ewaso North Conservancy as well as Nairobi and Kajiado counties.
Those areas experience various threats to forest resources such as charcoal burning, sandalwood harvesting and wildlife poaching.
Kinyua said the KFS manages 2.95 million hectares of public forests.
The chairman thanked the donors and urging others to extend their hand of support to them to enhance environmental conservation.
Edited by Henry Makori